Bears in no rush for GM

Phillips' list of 40 to be cut to 3 to 5

May 19, 2001|By Don Pierson, Tribune pro football reporter.

Bears President Ted Phillips said Friday he would interview three to five candidates for the club's general manager position after headhunter Joe Bailey completes his interviews of "about a dozen people" next week.

Phillips said he expected a decision by mid-June and does not fear losing anybody to the two other major personnel jobs open in the NFL--Washington and Philadelphia.

"I honestly don't think there's a better position available out there," Phillips said.

Phillips said he had an original list of "40 or so" prospects and Bailey, who works for the executive search firm of Russell Reynolds Associates, had a list of 20.

"He had maybe three or four people who were not on my list, intriguing candidates but not in the NFL," Phillips said.

Of that list, only Kuharich has been a general manager with authority to hire a coach. He hired Mike Ditka with the Saints and was fired with Ditka after the 1999 season.

Phillips clarified Friday that he will determine the short list after consultation with Bailey and that Bailey is not eliminating candidates on his own. Phillips and Bailey talk every day, and Phillips said he will seek no other outside counsel on the decision.

"Joe principally is trying to assess background information, do some initial probing into individual strengths, areas they can improve on, what motivates them, how available they may or may not be--a whole variety of issues," Phillips said. "I want to try to minimize any surprises. Several teams, whether it's a coaching situation or general manager situation, have realized probably too quickly they made a mistake in getting the right person. This is a critical decision for the Bears."

Phillips said he was not surprised ex-Bears vice president of personnel Mark Hatley landed in Green Bay "given Mark and my discussions after the draft." Phillips said Hatley had hired agent Robert LaMonte, who also represents Green Bay coach/GM Mike Sherman, "a week or two" before the draft but had "no fear" that a deal might have been struck before Hatley conducted the Bears' draft.

"I don't believe there was a done deal," Phillips said. "I've said before I think the free-agent plan and the draft plan were well thought out and well executed. That's not a concern of mine at all."